Mute
by Keira Sawyer
Summary: Bella can't speak. What's wrong with her? Edward can't read her mind, as per usual. What happens when they touch? ExB TBC/HIATUS
1. Passing Notes

Mute

BPOV

It was my first day of school, though it was already half-way into the semester of my junior year. School bored me. It was day after day of the same crap I'd already learned. I'd moved here because it recently dawned on my workaholic mother that I wasn't receiving the proper parental care. Like my dad could do any better. He was always working or fishing, that's Charlie for ya.

It was a good thing that news spreads like wildfire in a small town like Forks. I didn't need to introduce myself. They wouldn't have understood me anyway. I couldn't talk and no one knew sign language.

I'd turned down the offer to sit with my classmates at lunch, so that I'd have some time to myself. I grabbed some lunch and sat at a table by the window, overlooking the wet, verdant forest. I stared for what seemed like an insurmountable time, absorbing in all the shapes and textures of the woods. I pondered how the rain could represent so many different things to people. To some, it was refreshing, to others it was dreary. I thought that the rain was peaceful, it helped lull me to sleep at night, but the thunder that followed always shook me with fright.

I was lost in my thoughts until I suddenly felt the sensation that someone was watching me. Granted, since I was the new girl, everyone's gaze was on me at one point or another, but this feeling was different. I ignored everyone's glares, but I still felt like someone's stare was burning holes into my back. I turned my head slowly and swept the room as if I were merely looking at the clock to check the time. Then, I saw him. A pale boy with bronze hair was giving me the weirdest look. He cocked his head to one side and his face held a slight frown. I immediately felt self-conscious and looked down to hide my blush.

Thank God the bell rang a few seconds later. I hadn't even touched my food. I quickly took a bite of my sandwich and a swig of chocolate milk as I made my way to the trash cans to empty my tray. Everyone filed out and I followed, heading to my next class, Biology.

I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw the demi-god in the back of the class. It was that boy again. This time, his face held a grimace that contorted his angular facial features. I realized that the seat next to his was the only one available. I took in a deep breath as I made my way over to his, now our, desk. His eyes never left mine and as I stared, I noticed the ominous black coloring. When I sat down, he shifted so that he was on the extreme edge of his seat, as far away from me as possible. _What the heck is his problem?_ _No one else seemed bothered by my presence._ I sat as still as humanly possible, not giving him a reason to lash out at me. I didn't know what he was doing because I was too scared to even chance a glance at him. The bell rang and he darted out of his seat like his life depended on it.

I sat out at gym, but still managed to get hurt in the process, tripping up the steps on my way to the bleachers. The gym filled with laughter momentarily before the coach calmed everyone down. I was a danger to myself and everyone around me. _I wish this day would just be over already!_ And like God heard my request, class was over and school was out. I walked to the parking lot and got into my century-old truck. I drove the monstrous thing home and plopped on the couch to read a book about rain. Whenever something interests me, I read up on it, trying to gleam as much information as I possibly can before the day's end. I usually give up interest in about a day.

The next day at school, I found myself ignoring the lessons altogether and instead, played with my rubiks cube. I had gotten the thing before I boarded the plane to Forks, Washington, but I have yet to solve it. As I became more and more frustrated with the colorful puzzle, my mind started to wander. I was thinking about something I saw in the newspaper this morning. A man had injured his head, leaving him with amnesia. So I wondered what it would feel like to wake up one morning with no recollection of who you are, where you've been, or what to do next. With my mind preoccupied, I almost missed it when the boy in my biology class spoke to me.

"Hey, Bella. My name is Edward Cullen. Sorry I didn't introduce myself the other day, I was in a bad mood, and didn't want to take it on you."

_So his name was Edward. Hmmm seems befitting, I can't really picture calling him Ed or Eddie._ I nodded and wrote on my note pad that I always had on hand.

**Hey Edward. Nice to meet you.**

"How's Forks treating you?"

I shrugged and wrote, **It's fine.** That was my go-to answer for everything.

He nodded, probably thinking of questions that require more than my monosyllabic answers. "Do you have any hobbies?"

**Not really**, I replied. _Guess I should make more of an effort. _**But I like to ponder a lot of things. I suppose that takes up most, if not all of my time.**

"Really? What kind of things do you ponder?" His face a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

**It depends on what catches my attention. Yesterday I thought about the rain and today I thought about amnesia.**

"Those are two very different things."

I grinned. **Yes, they are.**

"Why do you ponder so much?"

**I don't know. I guess I like learning. Everyday, something triggers my mind and I start to think about it. Then, when I get home, I do research on it to find out as much as I can about it.**

"Why the need for such immersion?"

**By the time the day's over, I usually lose interest. So, I try to cram as much information as I can into my brain. I figure its useless to waste my mental efforts if I don't get something out of it.**

"So you know everything about some things, but not some thing about everything?"

**Yes, I suppose you could put it that way.** _I'm surprised I understood his deluded question._

**_*AN: Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight! Review please! Thanks you guys, y'all rule!_**


	2. Hearing Things

EPOV

_I'm surprised she understood my deluded question. There's something about this girl that I find fascinating. I wish I could read her mind, it seems like a wondrous place to explore. Her thoughts are so deep. Nothing like the shallow gossip of your average teenager. Communication was so slow, even though she wrote fast for a human._

**Can I ask you some questions? **Bella asked.

"You can ask them, but I might not answer." I replied.

**That hardly seems fair, but I'll go along with that. For now. Why were you in such a bad mood the other day?**

"I have problems with my anger."

**Ever tried deep breaths or counting to ten?**

"That doesn't help."

**Was it because of me?**

_She was very observant. "Why do you think that?"_

_**You looked like you wanted to kill me.**_

_"You were a part of the reason." Why was I telling her the truth, well half of it at least? She wasn't part of the reason, she was the whole reason._

_**Oh. Sorry. Is it anything I can help?**_

"No. It's all me."

She nodded and paid attention to class for the rest of the period.

This girl piqued my interest. It was still difficult breathing in her scent, but it was bearable, now that I didn't want to kill her. She was just an innocent girl. She couldn't even scream for help. I wonder what had happened that she couldn't speak.

I followed her home. I wanted to know more about her. I waited until she was asleep and snuck into her room. She was restless and stirred often. I took a seat in the rocking chair in the corner of her room and watched her intently. I took notice of her beauty now. I can see why all the males at school looked at her. She was anything but plain. Her beauty was unique. All too soon, the skies lightened and I took my leave of the sleeping beauty. I'll see her at school soon enough.

The rain was falling in a soft drizzle and it was colder than yesterday. The roads were slick, but I had no problem with them. I watched as all the humans pulled into the parking lot with extra caution. The ice was hazardous. I could hear Bella's truck a mile away, she would soon be off the dangerous roads. I hoped that Chief Swan had put snow chains on her tires.

Bella was safely in the parking lot now. I was going to make my way over to her, so that she knew I was trying to be friendly when I saw Alice's vision. A van was going to hit the ice at an unsafe speed and come hurling towards Bella.

"NO!" Alice and I both yelled.

Bella turned toward us and then toward the direction of the groaning van. Before I knew it, I had pushed Bella out of the way and held the van away from her body.

BPOV

I saw the van coming towards me and then felt cold arms around my waist. I was safe. Then I saw the van screech to a stop in front of me. The pale hand that stopped it left a dent and I followed the connecting arm up to the face of its owner. It was Edward Cullen. I looked at him confused and dazed. _**How did you get here so fast?**_

"Wait, what did you say?" He asked.

_**He heard me?**_

"Yes, I heard you."

I stared at him and then heard the millions of voices call my name. Students were flooding the area worrying about me and the driver of the van. Some teachers tried to wedge the van out of the way for the EMTs to get to me and Edward. They asked if I was okay and I nodded, but Edward said that I hit my head. I gave him glare and grimaced when they put the neck brace on me. I was utterly embarrassed.

They took me to the hospital and I took the darn neck brace off as soon as they left me alone. Tyler was on the bed next to me. Spitting out apologies. I tried to give him a look that said that it was okay, I wasn't hurt, but he kept at it. Then the most gorgeous doctor walked in with Edward right behind him. They had to be related. They had the same color skin and eyes.

"Bella, how are you feeling?"

I shrugged and smiled. He felt the back of my head and I winced when he touched a sore spot.

"Take some pain medication for your head and call me if you feel dizzy or you have problems with your eyesight."

I nodded and looked at Edward. _Can you hear me now?_ He didn't respond. I wonder what that was earlier.

I passed him and he grabbed me by the arm. _**What the heck?**_

"I knew I heard you!" He said once we were out of earshot.

I tried to take back my arm. _**Let me go!**_ He dropped my arm.

"How can you do that?"

_I don't know._ He was still waiting for my answer. Then placed his arm on my shoulder. _**I said, I don't know. Didn't you hear me earlier?**_

"No. You didn't say anything earlier."

_**What? Yes I did! How come you couldn't hear me?**_

"Hmm...I wonder. The only difference from a few moments ago, was that I was touching you. Perhaps, you can only communicate through a physical connection."

_**Are you going to tell me how you stopped the van?**_

"Can't you just thank me for saving your life?"

_**Thanks, Edward.**_ I dropped it and left to go find Charlie.

**_*AN: Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight! Thanks for the love you guys. Keep on reviewing!_**


	3. Lunchtime Laughter

EPOV

_Perplexing. I can't read her mind and she can't speak aloud, but when we touch, we can communicate. I have to tell Carlisle about this._

"Well, we don't have to worry about her talking." He said dryly.

"Yes, but she's still curious. I'm curious about her too. Perhaps we can make a trade." I pondered.

"She already knows something's up, but she doesn't need to know the specifics. She doesn't have to know about our world, just yet. Take it slow, son."

"Of course, I would never put her in the position of endangering her life."

I arrived early at her house the next morning. I didn't think she would be up for driving. It was foggy out and she had almost ran past my car when she noticed me standing there.

"Do you need a ride, Bella?"

She nodded. I opened the door to the passenger side and she smiled a wistful smile. I couldn't bear the silence in the car. It was deafening. I reached for her hand. She didn't pull away from my cold touch.

"So, what's on your mind today?"

_**Existentialism.**_ That received an single eye brow raise.

"Huh. What triggered that?"

_**I saw something on PBS.**_

"You're quite intriguing Swan." That brought on some pink in the cheek area.

I was sad that Bella wasn't in any of my morning classes. So I had to watch her leave as we arrived at school. I didn't like the feeling of being away from her. Lunch came and I told my family that I would be sitting with Bella today. They didn't mind, well everyone except Rosalie. She couldn't see how Bella had become the center of my attention lately.

I waved Bella over as she got out of line and headed toward her usual desolate table. She smiled instantly and if I had a heart, it would've been beating erratically. She had only an apple and a lemonade today.

"Not hungry?" I reached for her hand once again. Good thing I went hunting, it made it easier to control myself around her delicious scent.

_**Not really**__._ She shrugged.

She spun the stem of her apple and recited the alphabet and stopped when the stem broke off on the letter m.

_**Oh no...I'm gonna end up with Mike Newton!**_

I laughed at her childish antics. She got quiet for a second. As if she wanted to collect her thoughts before speaking.

"Bella, what is it? You can tell me."

_**I wanted to do something, but you might not like it.**_

"Well, why can't you do it now?" She was taken aback. _What am I getting myself into?_

_**You want me to do it in front of the whole school?**_

"Sure, why not?"_ I wonder what it could be that she'd be embarrassed to do in public._

She contemplated for a minute, then leaned in to whisper a quick thanks in my ear to which I shuddered in response to her warm breath. She gave me the sweetest peck on the cheek. The kiss seemed to last a full minute when in reality it was only a few seconds. Her soft, warm lips against my cold, hard skin left a lingering sensation as if someone had shocked me, in the best way possible. I wanted more. Being the masochistic that I am, I wanted to feel her touch once more. I wanted to kiss her and I wanted her to kiss me back. I was pulled out of my reverie when Bella started giggling uncontrollably.

"Bella, what is it?" I said half laughing. How could you not feel joy when it was radiating from this girl?

_**Did you not notice?**_ She said between fits of laughter. _**The air just got sucked out of this room by the simultaneous gasp of the entire student body! **_Then I was the one who couldn't suppress my laughter. Causing another gasp and the bulging of eyes from every soul in the cafeteria. That only fueled Bella and me more. Bella was turning red from laughing without breathing and I pulled her outside so she could get a breather. The corners of her eyes were brimming with tears of joy.

_**Whoo! It's been a long time since I've laughed like that! My stomach got quite a work out. **_Bella breathed.

"How DO you do it, Ms. Swan?"

_**Do what, Mr. Cullen?**_

"Make life worth living? Make me laugh? Bring such joy into my life? No one could ever make me as happy as you have now." Bella had regained her sense of self now and stopped laughing. _Whoops, too much? Keep it light!_

_**I do ALL that?**_ She looked at me incredulously.

"Yes, everyday." Blood rose to her face once again. I lifted my hand to touch her cheek and wipe away the remaining tears with my thumb. Almost immediately, she brought up her hand to keep mine in place.

_**You make me blush everyday.**_ I smiled in response.

**_*AN: Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight! Sorry guys, but I'm going to have to discontinue this story. Sorry I didn't give you a heads up like in my other stories. As for the reason that Bella can't speak, she was born without vocal cords. Edward can hear her through touch because his mind reading skills are enhanced when he touches Bella. (I don't know if that can actually happen, but just go with me for this story!) Thanks for the reviews, but as always when I end one story, I start another story. Please check out my oneshot Not the Light, Anything but That!_**


End file.
